Like any chronic pain, a sore tooth makes it hard to sleep. But more-complicated dental issues also affect sleep.

Teeth grinding (bruxism) that occurs at night is a sleep disorder. You might not even be aware that you're grinding your teeth during sleep. A sleep partner might notice it, or your dentist might see tooth damage from grinding.

If you grind your teeth, you're more likely to have difficulty breathing during sleep (sleep apnea). You might also experience:

• Headaches
• Clicking in your jaw when you move it during the day
• Daytime sleepiness

Bruxism is sometimes associated with jaw pain (temporomandibular disorder, or TMD). But TMD also occurs without bruxism.

TMD is associated with:

• Jaw injuries
• Anxiety and depression
• Post-traumatic stress disorder or a history of abuse

Fortunately, treatments are available for dental issues that affect sleep.